Movably positionable cylinder arrangement for indirect printing presses

ABSTRACT

A cylinder arrangement for offset and similar printing presses which permits printing on one or both sides. A rubber cylinder is rotatably supported at its ends in eccentric bushings and the bushings are rotatably mounted within pivotally displaceable side plates. By pivoting the side plates, the rubber cylinder can be positioned for printing on one or both sides. In addition, the eccentric bushings can be rotated for moving the rubber cylinder between an operative and an inoperative position when the rubber cylinder is arranged for printing on one or on both sides.

United States Patent 1 1 Heimlicher et al.

[ Nov. 6, 1973 [54] MOVABLY POSITIONABLE CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT FOR lNDlRECT PRINTING PRESSES (75] Inventors: Paul Heimlicher, Bolligen; Hans Streit, Lauperswil, both of Switzerland [73] Assignee: Maschinenfabrik WinklenFallert &

Co. AG, Berne, Switzerland 221 Filed: Mar. 12, 1972 211 App]. No.: 234,269

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 853,303, Aug. 27,

1969, abandoned.

[ Foreign Application Priority Data Sept $XY9IL- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1926 Goulding 101/143 X 9/1960 Scott l01/378 3,041,966 7/1962 Polglase 101/177 X 3,099,956 8/1963 Anderson 101/247 X 3,131,631 5/1964 Haskin 101/247 X 3,190,218 6/1965 Willard 101/182 X 3,259,060 7/1966 Martin 101/144 3,329,086 7/1967 Puller 101/177 3,404,626 10/1968 White 101/177 3,486,444 12/1969 Huck i. 101/177 X 3,527,165 9/1970 Harless l0l/l43 Primary Examiner l. Reed Fisher Att0mey-David Toren et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A cylinder arrangement for offset and similar printing presses which permits printing on one or both sides. A rubber cylinder is rotatably supported at its ends in ec centric bushings and the bushings are rotatably mounted within pivotally displaceable side plates. By pivoting the side plates, the rubber cylinder can be p0- sitioned for printing on one or both sides. in addition, the eccentric bushings can be rotated for moving the rubber cylinder between an operative and an inoperative position when the rubber cylinder is arranged for printing on one or on both sides.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing; Figures PATENTEDNUY sum v sl'rsslslo sum 10F 5- MIVE/VTORS PHUL. HEmL f-H R HFINS sTRe/r 977w? ME #5 MOVABLY POSITIONABLE CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT FOR INDIRECT PRINTING PRESSES This is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 853,303, now abandoned, filed Aug. 27, 1969.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a cylinder arrangement for offset presses and similar equipment for indirect printing and, more particularly, it is directed to an arrangement in which a cylinder can be movably positioned for printing on one or both sides.

Cylinder arrangements have been known in which rubber cylinders pivot about corresponding plate cylinders with the plate cylinders being rotatably mounted in bearings on the machine frame and the rubber cylinders rotatably mounted in bearings held in side plates. Such a construction is sufficient for indirect letter press printing where it is not necessary to separate the rubber and plate cylinders'from one another each time there is an interruption in the printing operation.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,086, it discloses, in offset presses, that the rubber cylinders are rotatably mounted in pivotally arranged eccentric bushings. Further, as is shown in German patent No. 436,672, in four-cylinder offset presses, each of the rubber cylinders is rotatably mounted within a rotatably eccentric bushing supported in side plates which are pivotally mounted about the shaft of the corresponding plate cyl inder. Such designs may be adapted for printing on one or both sides. To permit the changeover between printing on one side and printing on both sides, complicated rearrangements of the cylinders are necessary which require considerable time and tend to cause spoilage.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present inven tion to provide a support arrangement for rubber cylinders which makes it possible to position the cylinder selectively for printing on one or on both sides and, in addition, to separate the rubber cylinder from the plate cylinder when the press is inoperative.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a support arrangement for the rubber cylinders which permits accurate adjustment'of the cylinders in the operative positions.

Moreover, another object of the invention is to correlate the operation of the side plates supporting the rubber cylinder to assure accurate positioning of each end of the cylinder.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cylinder support arrangement in which repositioning of the rubber cylinders can be easily and quickly accomplished.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, side plates are arranged for supporting the rubber cylinder and each side plate is provided with lugs arranged to seat against stop members on the machine frame for selectively positioning the rubber cylinders for printing on one or on both sides. The side plates'are angularly displaceable between the two positions of the cylinder so that in each position one of the lugs on the side plate is in contact with a corresponding stop member on the machine frame. In moving the rubber cylinder, means are provided to assure that each of the lugs on the side plates adequately bears against a corresponding stop member on the machine frame.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a cylinder arrangement for printing on one side;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, however, illustrating the cylinder arrangement for printing on both sides;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view, partly in section, of the cylinder arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of a shifting device for the cylinder arrangement in the position for printing on both sides;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 with the shifting device arranged for printing on one side;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammtic view of the cylinder arrangement illustrating the relative positions of the cylinders,

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the shifting device shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrating the coupling connecting the shafts; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view, partly in section, of a portion of the coupling shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIG. 1 a plate or type cylinder 1, a rubber cylinder 2, and an impression cylinder 3 are arranged to cooperate for printing on one side. The rubber cylinder 2 is supported at each end by a side plate 4 and is driven by a gear train 5, see FIG. 3. The side plates 4 are pivotally displaceable about the axis of the type cylinder 1 and are positioned by means of a shifting device 6. The shifting device is formed of worm drives 7 and 8 each operatively intermeshed with a worm gear 9,10, respectively. Each of the worm gears 9,10 is mounted on a threaded spindle 11 which moves in its axial direction and each spindle is pin'connecte d at one end to a link 12, and the link, in turn, is pin-connected to one of the side plates 4.

Positioned within each of the side plates 4 is an eccentirc bushing 13 which rotatab ly mounts one end of the rubber cylinder 2. In FIG. 1 the rubber cylinder is arranged for printing on one side and in this position it is displaceable between an operative position A and an inoperative position B. In the operative position, a cam 14 which extends outwardly from the periphery of the bushing 13, contacts a stop 15 while in the inoperative position the bushing is angularly displaceable in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, with the cam moving into contact with the stop 17. The stop 15 is displaceably positionable.

Shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1, a piston cylinder assembly 16 is provided for displacing the rubber cylinder 2 between its operative and inoperative positions.

In FIG. 2 the rubber cylinder 2 is shown moved into position for printing on both sides. When the rubber cylinder is arranged for printing on one side, a lug 18 is situated at one corner of the end edge of the side plate remote from the plate cylinder 1 and contacts a corresponding stop 19 formed on a machine frame 30. Through the medium of the worm drives 7 and 8, the spindles 11, secured by the links 12 to the side plates 4, pivot the side plates around the axis of the plate cylinder l in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the lug 18 moving into spaced relationship from the stop 19 and a similar lug 20 at the opposite corner of the side plate moving into contacting engagement with a stop 21 on the machine frame. However, due to inaccuracies which are inevitable in the various parts, it may develop that the lugs 18,20 on one of the side plates will contact the corresponding stops 19,21 before the lugs on the side plate on the opposite end of the rubber cylinder come into contact with the corresponding stops. To assure that the lugs on each of the side plates 4 seat properly against the stops on the machine frame, an adjustment is provided within the shifting device which drives the spindle l1 and moves the cylinder between its positions for printing on one or on both sides.

As indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the worm drive 7 is mounted on shaft 22 and the worm drive 8 is mounted on shaft 23 and two shafts are secured in axial alignemnt by means of an adjustable friction-cone clutch or coupling 40. The worm drives 7 and 8 are axially displaceable along the respective shafts 22 and 23. Springs 24,25 are disposed about the shafts 22,23 and cooperate with the worm drives 7,8, respectively. Each of the worm drives 7,8 and its cooperating spring 24,25 are located within an opening or recess 30a on the corresponding side of the machine frame 30. Each of the recesses 30a is closed by a cap 30b and the springs seat against the caps. The worm drives 7,8, the worm gears 9,10, and the spindles 11 are engaged to provide the desired displacement of the spindles in moving the cylinder 2 between its two different printing positions. Within the recesses 30a the worm drives are axially movable between the shoulders 26,27, formed on the shafts 22,23, and the surface of the caps 30b, which close off the opposite ends of the recesses from the locations of the shoulders 26,27.

In FIG. 4 the rotation of the worm gears 9,10 by the worm drives 7,8 is shown for moving the cylinder 2 into the position shown in FIG. 2 (lugs 20 contacting stops 21), while in FIG. the rotation of the worm gears by the worm drives is shown for moving the cylinder 2 into the position shown in FIG. 1 (lugs 18 contacting stops 19).

When the cylinder 2 is moved between the positions in FIGS. 1 and 2 adjustments in the mechanism for moving the cylinder are provided to assure that the lugs on the side plates properly seat against the stops on the machine frame. At the time the printing press incorporating the present arrangement is set up, the assembly for moving the cylinder 2 is arranged so that both of the lugs 18 contact the stops 19 in the upper position of the cylinder 2 as shown in FIG. 1. This is a one time setting or adjustment for the basic position of the device. In the position shown in FIG. 1 the springs 24,25 maintain the lugs 18 in contact with the stops.

The remaining adjustment is provided through the medium of the friction-cone coupling 40, see FIGS. 7 and 8, which consists of two coupling halves 42,44. The coupling half 42 is rigidly connected with the shaft 22 by a key 16, washer 48 and a screw 50. The other coupling half 44 is axially movable on the shaft 23 by means of a spline 52. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the ends of the shafts 22, 23 within the coupling are spaced apart for affording any required adjustment. Diametrically opposed slots 56 are formed in the coupling half 44. Screws 58 are provided for securing the coupling halves together, one screw is positioned in each of the slots, and is secured in the coupling half 42 attached to the shaft 22. When the screws 58 are tightened, the two coupling halves are secured together. Coupling half 42 has an outwardly facing conical surface while coupling half 44 has an inwardly facing conical surface and these surfaces are in contact when the screws are tightened. For correctly adjusting the shafts 22,23 relative to one another, so that the proper bearing is provided of the lugs on the stops, the screws 58 are loosened and the shaft 23 is axially adjusted to provide proper contact between both of the lugs 20 and the stops 21 when the worm drives 7,8 move from the position in FIG. 5 to that in FIG. 4. By means of the adjustment available through the coupling 40 the rotation of the shafts 22,23 can be maintained until the corresponding lugs 18 are properly seated against the stops 19. As shown in an exaggerated manner, the distances x,y of the worm drives 7,8 from their respective shoulders 26,27 are unequal.

As explained above, the piston cylinder assembly 16, illustrated in dot-dash lines in each of FIGS. 1 and 2, is employed for displacing the rubber cylinder 2 between its operative and its inoperative positions when it is located for printing on one side or on both sides. At one end, the piston cylinder assembly 16 is secured to the side plate 4 by means of a support arm 28 and at the other end the piston is connected to a lever 29 secured to the eccentric bushing 13. When the rubber cylinder is arranged for printing on one side, it is displaceable between the stop 15 secured to the side plate 4 and the stop 17 attached to the main frame 30 of the press. In FIG. 1 the cam 14 on the exterior of the bushing 13 is shown contacting the stop 15 and as the piston cylinder assembly is extended, the eccentric bushing is rotated until the cam 14 comes into contact with the stop 17, note the dot-dash position of the cam 14 shown in FIG. 1.

When, by means of the shifting device 6, the side plates 4 are pivoted so that the rubber cylinder 2 is in position for printing on both sides, the cam 14 is displaced out of the range of the stop 17. However, a second cam 31 is located on the periphery of the eccentric bushing 13 and is angularly movable between a stop 33 located on the side plate, similar to the stop 15, and another stop 32, secured to the machine frame 30, and similar to the stop 17. When in position for printing on both sides, the rubber cylinder 2 is rotated by means of the piston cylinder assembly 16, it is angularly displaceable between the stop 33 which locates it in the operative position and the stop 32 which locates it in the inoperative position. The piston cylinder assembly 16 maybe arranged in operative connection with one or both of the side plates 4. To afford correlation in the movement of the side plates 4 and their related eccentric bushings 13, a shaft 34 extends between the two side plates. Mounted on the ends of the shaft 34 are segments 35 having gear teeth formed in their arcuate periphery and the gear teeth are arranged in meshed engagement with similar teeth formed in an arcuate section 36 secured to the periphery of the eccentric bushing 13. As the bushings rotate, the segments 35 and sections 36 afford proper correlation of their movement.

As exhibited in FIG. 6, the axis of rotation of the eccentric bushings 13 occupy two positions E,F for printing on one or both sides, respectively. In each of these positions, E and F, the rubber cylinder has two positions, A and D when the rubber cylinder is in its operative position, and B and C when the cylinder has been rotated to its inoperative position.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A cylinder arrangement for an offset press and for similar presses for printing on one or both sides, comprises a machine frame, a plate cylinder mounted on said machine frame, a pair of laterally spaced side plates pivotally positionable about the axis of said plate cylinder, an eccentric bushing rotatably positioned in each of said side plates, a rubber cylinder rotatably mounted at its opposite ends within said eccentric bushings, means secured to said side plates and to said eccentric bushings associated therewith for rotating said eccentric bushings and moving said rubber cylinder between an operative position in contact with said plate cylinder and an inoperative position spaced from said plate cylinder, meansfor limiting the movement of said rubber cylinder between its operative and inoperative positions, a pair of spaced stops formed on said machine frame, a pair of spaced lugs formed on each of said side plateswith each of said lugs arranged to engage one of said stops on said machine frame, a shifting device mounted on said machine frame and articulated to said side plates for selectively displacing said lugs into engagement with said stops on said machine frame for pivoting said side plates and moving said rubber cylinder between a position for printing on one side and another position for printing on both sides in both of which positions said rubber cylinder can be displaced between its operative and inoperative positions, said shifting device including means for assuring full displacement of said lugs on said side plate into engagement with the respective said stops on said machine frame when said rubber cylinder is displaced between the positions for printing on one side and on both sides and including a pair of axially aligned shafts mounted within said machine frame, an adjustable coupling interconnecting said shafts, said machine frame having an opening in each of its opposite sides in alignment with said shafts and each of said shafts extending through the opening in one of the opposite sides of said machine frame, a worm drive mounted and being axially displaceable on each of said shafts and located within one of the openings in said machine frame, a pair of worm gears each mounted on an opposite side of said machine frame and each said worm gear associated with and arranged to be driven by one of said worm drives, a spindle rotatably mounted within each of said worm gears and extending therefrom toward said side plate on the same side of said machine frame, and a link pin articulated to said spindle and to said side plate for pivoting said side plate so that one of said lugs formed thereon is displaced into contact with a corresponding said stop on said machine frame.

2. A cylinder arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized therein by a shoulder formed on each of said shafts and each of said shoulders located in a different one of the openings in said machine frame containing said worm drives, and means positioned within each of the openings in said machine frame for biasing said worm drive against said shoulder therein.

3. A cylinder arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said means for moving said rubber cylinder between an operative position and an inoperative position comprises a piston cylinder assembly secured to at least one of said side plates, a lever secured to said eccentric bushing positioned within said one of said side plates to which said piston assembly is secured, said piston assembly comprising a cylinder, a piston axially movable within said cylinder and said piston attached at its end remote from said cylinder to said lever for rotating said eccentric bushing within said side plate.

4. A cylinder arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said means for limiting the movement of said rubber cylinder between its operative position and inoperative position comprises a first cam and a second cam disposed in angularly spaced arrangement on the outer periphery of said eccentric bushing, two pair of angularly spaced stop members being arranged with one pair for each of said first cam and said second cam, in each pair of said stop members one of the stop members being mounted on said side plate and the other said stop member being mounted on said machine frame whereby as said means for moving said rubber cylinder rotates it into the position for printing on one side said first cam is angularly displaceable between one said pair of stop members and said second cam is displaced from engagement with the other said pair of stop members and when said rubber cylinder is in the position for printing on both sides said second cam is angularly displaceable between the other said pair of stop members while said first cam is displaced so that it does not contact the one said pair of stop members.

5. A cylinder arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized therein by means being arranged to interconnect said side plates for correlating the angular dis placement of said eccentric bushings between the 0perative and inoperative positions, said means interconnecting said side plates comprise an arcuate section being secured to the periphery of each said eccentric bushing and said arcuate section having gear teeth formed therein, an arcuate segment having gear teeth formed therein being in meshed engagement with said arcuate section, and a shaft secured to and extending between said arcuate segments for correlating the angular movement of said eccentric bushings located at the opposite ends of said rubber cylinder. 

1. A cylinder arrangement for an offset press and for similar presses for printing on one or both sides, comprises a machine frame, a plate cylinder mounted on said machine frame, a pair of laterally spaced side plates pivotally positionabLe about the axis of said plate cylinder, an eccentric bushing rotatably positioned in each of said side plates, a rubber cylinder rotatably mounted at its opposite ends within said eccentric bushings, means secured to said side plates and to said eccentric bushings associated therewith for rotating said eccentric bushings and moving said rubber cylinder between an operative position in contact with said plate cylinder and an inoperative position spaced from said plate cylinder, means for limiting the movement of said rubber cylinder between its operative and inoperative positions, a pair of spaced stops formed on said machine frame, a pair of spaced lugs formed on each of said side plates with each of said lugs arranged to engage one of said stops on said machine frame, a shifting device mounted on said machine frame and articulated to said side plates for selectively displacing said lugs into engagement with said stops on said machine frame for pivoting said side plates and moving said rubber cylinder between a position for printing on one side and another position for printing on both sides in both of which positions said rubber cylinder can be displaced between its operative and inoperative positions, said shifting device including means for assuring full displacement of said lugs on said side plate into engagement with the respective said stops on said machine frame when said rubber cylinder is displaced between the positions for printing on one side and on both sides and including a pair of axially aligned shafts mounted within said machine frame, an adjustable coupling interconnecting said shafts, said machine frame having an opening in each of its opposite sides in alignment with said shafts and each of said shafts extending through the opening in one of the opposite sides of said machine frame, a worm drive mounted and being axially displaceable on each of said shafts and located within one of the openings in said machine frame, a pair of worm gears each mounted on an opposite side of said machine frame and each said worm gear associated with and arranged to be driven by one of said worm drives, a spindle rotatably mounted within each of said worm gears and extending therefrom toward said side plate on the same side of said machine frame, and a link pin articulated to said spindle and to said side plate for pivoting said side plate so that one of said lugs formed thereon is displaced into contact with a corresponding said stop on said machine frame.
 2. A cylinder arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized therein by a shoulder formed on each of said shafts and each of said shoulders located in a different one of the openings in said machine frame containing said worm drives, and means positioned within each of the openings in said machine frame for biasing said worm drive against said shoulder therein.
 3. A cylinder arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said means for moving said rubber cylinder between an operative position and an inoperative position comprises a piston cylinder assembly secured to at least one of said side plates, a lever secured to said eccentric bushing positioned within said one of said side plates to which said piston assembly is secured, said piston assembly comprising a cylinder, a piston axially movable within said cylinder and said piston attached at its end remote from said cylinder to said lever for rotating said eccentric bushing within said side plate.
 4. A cylinder arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said means for limiting the movement of said rubber cylinder between its operative position and inoperative position comprises a first cam and a second cam disposed in angularly spaced arrangement on the outer periphery of said eccentric bushing, two pair of angularly spaced stop members being arranged with one pair for each of said first cam and said second cam, in each pair of said stop members one of the stop members being mounted on said side plate and the other said stop member being mounted on said machine frame whereby as said means for moving said rubber cylinder rotates it into the position for printing on one side said first cam is angularly displaceable between one said pair of stop members and said second cam is displaced from engagement with the other said pair of stop members and when said rubber cylinder is in the position for printing on both sides said second cam is angularly displaceable between the other said pair of stop members while said first cam is displaced so that it does not contact the one said pair of stop members.
 5. A cylinder arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, characterized therein by means being arranged to interconnect said side plates for correlating the angular displacement of said eccentric bushings between the operative and inoperative positions, said means interconnecting said side plates comprise an arcuate section being secured to the periphery of each said eccentric bushing and said arcuate section having gear teeth formed therein, an arcuate segment having gear teeth formed therein being in meshed engagement with said arcuate section, and a shaft secured to and extending between said arcuate segments for correlating the angular movement of said eccentric bushings located at the opposite ends of said rubber cylinder. 